'They are very popular among children and young people; it is easy to get them in places and events related to the summer (beaches, popular festivals, etc.), they assure us that they are temporary, and we come to believe that they are innocuous ... ' This seems like a riddle, it serves to alert you to the risk of Allergic dermatitis from black henna tattoo application. The pattern that is obtained by using this dye has a glossy black finish, very attractive, and more durable than 'natural henna'.
As warned by the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products, black henna is obtained by the mixture of natural henna with colorants, among which is PPD, Forbidden for direct use on the skin!, Because it can cause allergic reactions (some of which are serious) that range from itching to scars, passing through spots.
Redness, blisters, permanent discoloration of the skin, are other possible consequences; and in some cases urgent medical attention (including hospitalization) is required. I think we hear the word 'henna' and we already associate it with a natural and safe product, which is endorsed by African and Asian traditions. It comes from a bush, and its color is usually dark green or brown, its permanence is limited to about three or four days. The problem (I repeat) is black henna, which is no longer so natural, in which the PPD concentration is sometimes up to 15 percent of the total volume.
Tattooists who are not professional
Knowing that black henna can cause such reactions, I have no doubt that people who apply it to their skin do not know at all what products they are dealing with. In addition, they are illegally using a compound containing PPD. There is a legislative vacuum, which makes control difficult, since this practice does not abide by the legislation on permanent tattoos.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration prohibits the direct application of the mentioned ingredient, due to known and demonstrated health risks
Consumers to be informed
Believe me, a good tattoo artist knows how to solve doubts, and has no qualms about giving written information about the service and products it provides. You have the right to demand an allergy test. Do you know that adverse reactions may take several days or weeks to appear? Others are visible in less time.
We rescue the following recommendations from a note published in the AEMPS:
- Be careful about the offers for the realization of temporary tattoos with Henna (drawings on the skin, without intradermal injection) that proliferate in summer on beaches, markets and other outdoor events.
- Avoid black temporary tattoos and those that offer a long stay.
- If we have applied (or have allowed children to do it) a temporary tattoo based on black Henna on the skin and we present any of the symptoms described, it is necessary to go to a medical service.
In case any reader still thinks that I am being exaggerated, I tell you that in the AEP Annals of Pediatrics, there is described the case of a 9-year-old boy with a severe reaction that took no less than a month to remit! treating it with topical corticosteroids
You already know this summer no black henna tattoos for the kids; you can do without them, that's for sure. Let's use what seems to be the 'least common of the senses' and have a quiet vacation without scares that take us to the ER for recklessness. And if your children are older, tell them what happens with black henna, because from an age, they must get used to assessing the balance between benefits and risks of their decisions.
Image - Bitchin 'amy